West Hollywood Pharmacy Sued Over Issues From Testosterone Product

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Thursday, April 20, a family filed a lawsuit against Great Earth Compounding Pharmacy in West Hollywood, the Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine in Santa Monica, and physicians at the Center for allegedly prescribing a topical testosterone product that caused medical problems in the patient’s wife and children.

Andrew and Tizania Simpson alleged that doctors at the Akasha Center prescribed a bio-identical hormone therapy cream to Andrew, but neglected to inform him that accidental testosterone exposure in women and children can cause serious issues, according to reports.

Simpson, 51, began using the testosterone cream in April 2014 after being prescribed the product at the Akasha Center. In April 2016, he noticed that the product was causing “severe adverse medical problems” in his family, according to the complaint. His wife, 44, allegedly underwent a premature hysterectomy from “gynecological conditions,” and their 10-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter “developed enlarged reproductive organs, growth of pubic hair, advanced bone age, precocious puberty, virilization, abnormally increased growth and aggressive behavior.”

The lawsuit stated that beginning in 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings about risks that children exposed to testosterone may face. Risks include inappropriate virilization, which is the development of male secondary sexual characteristics attributed to androgens, or male hormones. Prescription testosterone products are approved only for men with medical conditions that cause low testosterone levels.

Simpson alleged that he was never told of the risks associated with the prescribed product. The family is seeking unspecified damages for alleged negligence, breach of warranty, fraud, and misrepresentation, according to the suit.

The Great Earth Compounding Pharmacy specializes in custom-made medications, specialized route of administration, and medications that may not be readily available elsewhere. Services include compounding for hormone replacement therapy, anti-aging, and detoxification. The Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine is a facilitation of health, healing, and optimal well-being, guided by the wisdom of Eastern medicine and the advancement of Western medicine, according to their mission statement.

Canyon News reached out to representatives of Great Earth Compounding Pharmacy and the Akasha Center for comment, but did not hear back before print.